Field of The Invention
The present invention relates to a swing training and muscle exercising device which assists the user in developing a full range of motion swing enabling the user to consistently and efficiently transfer power at the instant of contacting a stationary object, such as a golf club to a golf ball. Persistent usage of the device can strengthen the muscles used in the swing and also reinforce myoneural "muscle memory." Although the principles of the invention can be adapted to other sports or activities where a swinging motion is employed, the preferred embodiment is adapted for use as a golf swing training device. Consequently, the preferred embodiment of the invention described herein is directed to a golf swing training and exercising device.
The optimum golf swing provides for maximum distance and accuracy of the golf shot. This is achieved when the golf swing maintains an appropriate swing plane along a determinable inside and outside swing path (inside of the parallel plane of a line directed through the golf ball to the target). The body's muscles create, store and release energy squarely to a golf ball. The physiological components of the optimum golf swing include physical agility, flexibility, strength, power, muscular endurance, balance, coordination, leverage through good posture and hand-to-eye coordination. When all of these physical attributes are integrated with the optimum golf swing mechanics, maximum club head speed and transference of energy to a golf ball is realized.
The optimum golf swing is a fluid timed motion which optimizes power, coordination and speed of a user's swing to deliver an impact to the ball to achieve desired distance and accuracy. This motion is linked through eight critical phases of movement.
Executing an ideal, total, full-range of motion golf swing entails performing complex combinations of separate motions, or portions, during eight sequential phases: (1) the set-up phase, (2) the takeaway phase, (3) the top of the swing phase, (4) the downswing phase, (5) the hitting zone phase, (6) the impact phase, (7) the release phase, and (8) the follow-through phase.
1. The Set-Up Phase
The first phase, the set-up phase, is the initial stance the golfer takes to strike the ball as illustrated in FIG. 18. An effective set-up requires balance and effective posture to set the trunk and limbs of the body in the most mechanically advantageous position with the body weight slightly favoring the left foot in the right to left golf swing. In the set-up phase, the golfer aligns the club head with the ball and a pre-selected target as illustrated by the imaginary line 113 in FIG. 18. Imaginary line 113 defines two regions. The first region is the side of the line on which the golfer stands facing the ball. This first region is referred to as the "inside," and the region on the opposite side of line 113 is referred to as the "outside." Thus, when a golfer's swing is described as an "inside to outside" swing, the club head travels in a path, termed the "swing path," from the inside region before impact with the ball, to impact with the ball at line 113, and then in a path in the outside region after impact.
2. The Takeaway Phase Or Backswing
In the second phase, the takeaway phase, as illustrated in FIG. 19, the golfer shifts the body weight to favor the right foot and initiates the backswing with the large muscles of the legs and trunk. A triangle formed by the position of shoulders and hands allows the golfer to perform a one-piece takeaway, drawing the club back along the appropriate swing plane to match the selected golf club and along a determinable inside-to-outside or outside-to-inside swing path. The swing plane(s) are illustrated in FIG. 15 as the planes in which the golfer's hands move 560 and the plane in which the club head moves 570 comprising two parallel planes. The swing plane is dependent upon the individual anatomical variants of the golfer and the selected club length. The taller golfer will stand closer to the ball and therefore have a steeper swing plane. The shorter club will also require the golfer to stand closer to the ball and thereby require a steeper swing plane as illustrated in FIG. 15, the angle .alpha. between the planes 560 and 570 with the horizontal become larger as the swing planes 560 and 570 become more upright.
3. The Swing Phase
In the third phase of the swing, the top of the swing phase, the club is posted with the club shaft approximately parallel to the ground, as seen in FIG. 20, and the club head pointing back directly at the target. The left arm remains relatively straight and the right arm is folded at the elbow. The back forearm is supinated, i.e., rotated counterclockwise for a right-handed golfer or rotated clockwise for a left-handed golfer, and the front forearm is pronated, i.e., rotated clockwise for a right-handed golfer or rotated counterclockwise for a left-handed golfer. In the right-handed golfer, the right wrist is cocked back in extension. The golfer's body coils wherein the shoulders have turned back more than twice as much as the hips which are turned back more than twice as much as the knees. The body has been wound from the top down with the upper body turned back against the resistance of the lower body and poised to enter phase four, the downswing phase.
4. The Downswing Phase
In the downswing phase, the club is pulled into action by the uncoiling of the large muscles of the body. It is the timely unwinding of the downswing phase, while maintaining the appropriate swing plane and predetermined swing path, that produces the optimum golf swing. Pulling the club out of the swing path alters the angle at which the club head meets the ball and thereby alters the flight path of the ball. It is therefore important for a golfer to develop a consistent swing path within a consistent swing plane to achieve optimum results. A further problem that occurs during the downswing phase is referred to as casting of the club, wherein the angle formed between the club and the two arms is drastically increased. Casting the club results in a deviation from the swing plane and adversely affects both the power and speed of the club producing a weak shot.
5. The Hitting Zone Phase
In the fifth phase, the hitting zone phase, as seen in FIG. 22, the golfer attempts to get the hands as close as possible to being in-line directly above the ball while still maintaining the angle .beta. formed at set-up between the club shaft and the arms, the right wrist remains cocked and the back arm remains folded so that the stored energy of the swing is maintained until impact with the ball to ensure maximum energy transference from the club head to the ball.
6. The Impact Phase
In the sixth phase, the impact phase, as seen in FIG. 23, the club head is accelerated by a whipping action created by the straightening of the right arm, pronation of the right forearm and uncocking of the right wrist in a timely manner at a fixed point corresponding to the impact with the ball.
7. The Release Phase
In phase seven, the release phase, the right hand has turned over the left hand so that the club points toward the target. This ensures complete expenditure of the energy.
8. The Follow-Through Phase
In phase eight, the follow-through phase, the arms, trunk and body continue, by momentum, in the swing plane and path to complete the effective golf swing.
The optimal golf swing training device should have the ability to activate and train the trainable physiological components of the swing since they are inseparable and co-dependent. Sports-specific flexibility training is accomplished by the full range of motion movements comprising the physical task. Strength and power training requires exercise against a resistance, while muscular endurance requires repetition of the activity. Good balance is developed through repetitive proprioceptive training movements. Improved leverage is developed when the golfer adopts an effective sports-specific posture. Hand-to-eye coordination is improved by focused concentration and repetitive accomplishment of the task. Agility and coordination result from the integration of all the physiologic components of the movement.